Super50 Cup: Walsh Jr. (60* & 5-48) spurs Hurricanes to victory over West Indies Academy

A polished all-round performance by Hayden Walsh Jr. spurred Leeward Islands Hurricanes to a second consecutive victory in this year’s CG United Super50 Cup, as they defeated West Indies Academy by 66 runs at Queen’s Park Oval on Saturday.

Walsh Jr., who first hammered three fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 60 off 55 balls, to guide the Hurricanes to a competitive 239, returned to snare 5-48 in nine overs, which restricted West Indies Academy to a paltry 173 and in the process, handed them their first defeat of the tournament.

Asked to take first strike, the Hurricanes –unlike the brisk start in their opening eight-wicket win over reigning champions Jamaica Scorpions –were slow into stride, as they lost Kofi James (three) with six runs on the board.

However, first match hero Kieran Powell (33) and Keacy Carty (37), balanced things out before the former’s 36-ball knock, which included five boundaries, was brought to an end by Ashmead Nedd.

Carty pushed on in his 55-ball innings which had four boundaries, but when Joshua Bishop accounted for his and Karima Gore’s (nine) scalp, Hurricanes were left at 101-4 in the 21st over.

Jahmar Hamilton (27) and Rahkeem Cornwall (14) had good starts but couldn’t click on, as they too succumbed to Bishop’s spin, with the score at 157-6.

But Justin Greaves, who had a solitary boundary in a patient 34 off 59 balls, stood with Walsh Jr to add 66 valuable runs for the seventh wicket, especially as the remaining batsmen, including captain Alzarri Joseph, fell cheaply.

Bishop led the Academy bowlers with four wickets for 27 runs from his 10 overs, while Nedd had two wickets for 43 runs from his 10 overs, and Matthew Forde snared two wickets for 45 runs from 5.5 overs.

The Academy’s chase started positively, with Kimani Melius (37) and Matthew Nandu (29), posted a 64-run opening stand, but when both fell, things quickly took turn in favour of the Hurricanes.

This, as the Academy lost wickets at regular intervals, with Teddy Bishop (27), Nyeem Young (25) and Ackeem Aguste (21), the only other batsmen to offer any resistance to Walsh Jr’s leg-spin.

Another slow bowler, Daniel Doram, who picked up seven wickets against the Scorpions, took 3-33 on this occasion. (Sportsmax)